twinge

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a sudden, brief, sharp pain

   A twinge in her shoulder made her lower the heavy bag.

2. 2
   noun

   a sudden, brief feeling of guilt, regret, fear, or another emotion

   He felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered Herbert's debts.

3. 3
   verb

   to feel or cause a sudden sharp pain

   Her knee twinged whenever she climbed the stairs.

Simplified etymology

Twinge comes from Old English and originally meant “to pinch.” It is historically related to thong, an Old English word first used for a shoelace and later for a narrow strip of leather or other material.

The verb comes from Middle English twengen and Old English twengan, 'to pinch or squeeze.' The noun developed from the verb: a physical pinch became a sudden stab of pain and then, by metaphor, a brief sharp feeling such as guilt or regret.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary